Identical twin brothers from Nottingham have described what it’s like being greengrocers for over 40 years. They reminisced about their long and successful careers inside their shops filled with colour from all their fruit and veg.
On 83B Haydn Road in Sherwood, there are many loyal customers that come in and out of the Thompson Brothers greengrocers. Owned by identical twins, Andrew and Stephen Thompson who are 63-years-old, the brothers love working together - sometimes!
With prices such as Spanish strawberries, 2 punnets for £1, and so much more affordable fruit and vegetables, the brothers had many tales to tell.
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Andrew and Stephen have spent most of their life in Sherwood and the pair have run the greengrocers since October 1979. Speaking about how the area has changed over the years, Andrew Thompson said: “The area has changed and it hasn’t. You only notice the changes if you go and come back.
“The shops are completely different now. Along here, there used to be a Post Office, a toy shop, a hairdressers and a newsagents.
“We used to be based just a few shops up from here still on Haydn Road but have been where we are since 1991."
Stephen added: “A marvellous mixture of things have changed since around 20 years ago when the Post Office closed down, now more takeaways have come in. In Sherwood shops, there used to be a Fine Fare, Tesco and a Mace. There still seems to be a green grocer in every district and a butcher, they’re all scattered around. It’s the banks closing down that are annoying.”
Open 6 and a half days a week with only one other member of staff, as you can imagine, there must be many funny stories to tell with an over 40-year-old business. One incident in particular tickles the two brothers.
Andrew said: “There was once a man who had broken his leg and he kind of just rolled out of a car the wrong way round in the shop and we found it hilarious. He didn’t find it funny, he hasn't seen since!”
Speaking about the best part of their job the brothers both agreed that it is the many loyal customers they continue to have.
Andrew, who enjoys eating English apples said: “Our loyal customers are so lovely and so nice. Small shop customers are different from big shop customers, there’s no nastiness and they aren’t as demanding.
“Saturdays are usually the busiest day and then the other days are a bit hit and miss but we don’t suffer from stress, we just get on with it.”
From the age of 17-years-old to 20-years-old the brothers worked together at Redmayne and Todd. It was then they knew they wanted to continue working alongside each other.
As most siblings do at some point, they bicker. When asked if the brothers argue on the job, Andrew said: “We do argue on the job but it’s only trivial, we enjoy working together.”
Stephen continued and said: “We have a marvellous time here, the best bits are the customers. Years ago, we did have a visit from Leslie Crowther who had a fantastic car.”
Leslie Crowther was a comedian originally from West Bridgford. Leslie died in 1996. Stephen continued and said: “Over Covid, we weren’t worried because we’re a food shop but of course we’re thankful for customers because this is our livelihood.
“Because of Covid,we did have to stop selling cut flowers but the pandemic never affected us too much. I’d say one of the most popular thing we sell are bananas and personally in the summer, I like asparagus or green beans and in the winter, roasted parsnips.”
Working for 6 and a half days a week, that leaves the two brothers with not much spare time. Stephan said: “We’ve been to all the restaurants in Sherwood but we haven’t been to a pub since Covid. We like to go to the Gladstone in Carrington, the beer there is fantastic.”
